Vacuum-cleaner.



I. L. GREEN.

VAGUUM GLEANER.

APPLIOATION HLBD MAB.11,1908.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

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I. L. GREEN.

VAGUUM OLEANER.

APPLIOATION Hum MAn.11,19o8.

941,675. Patented Nov. 80, 1909.

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VACUUM-CLIEANEB.

Speoiflcation ot Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Application filed March 11,`1908. Serial No. 420,386.

To all 'who'm 'it 'may concem;

Be it known thatl, IRA L. GREEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of Ludlow, in the county of Windsor and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in the line of hand-operated devices for cleaning fioors, carpets, rugs, and also walls and draperies, by means 'of suction, and my invention pertains to vmeans for roducing the suction or vacuum; to means or storing the dust and dirt so that no dust shall escape into the room; to means for enabling the operator to see that dust is being removed from the carpet or other article, and to other improvements in details of construction hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central Vertical section of a machine made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same on the line X-X in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the dust-confining means. Fig.

' ll is a plan view of one of the filter bags used in connection with said means. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the Cleaner-month.

In the preferred form of this invention, I strain the dust from the air between thesuction-nozzle and the vacuum producing device, so that the latter does not have its o peration interfered with by any dirt or grit; thereby permitting a plunger pump to be employed for the purpose. Such pump is secured upon the top of the dirt-receiver, and is actuated by a crank turned by hand, thus doing away with the noisyI gearing inseparableifrom a hand-operated fan-wheel.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates the dirt-receiver, which is preferably in the form of a Vertical cylindrical tank or can having a centrally-depressed floor 2 and a remove-ble closure 3 through which to withdraw the accuniulations of dust and dirt. Upon its flat cover 4 is inouuted the pumpin device operated by the crank 5 as hereina ter set forth, such pump being adapted'for creating a more or less. perfect vacuum within the receiver 1. Said tank is mounted u on three Wheels 6, 7 and 8 arranged to aeilitate movement on a straight line; the front wheel 8 being attached to the suction pipe 9 whose extremity is narrowed and transv'ersely elongated to form a suitable suction-mouth 10 in contact .with the floor upon which the machine is supported. To provide Vertical adjustment to this pipe and wheel, and thereby bring such mouth nearer to or farther from such fioor, said wheel 8' is mounted at the junction of the links 11, 12, one of which is slotted and its fastening-screw passed through such slot.

The tube 9 after passing horizontally for a short distance, rises vertically to a height corresponding to that of the tank, and opens within a glassA chamber 13. This chamber need not be entirely of transparent material, and is preferably formed with a removable upper section or bell-jar 14 screwing into a metal base 15 from a side of which a tube 16 opens tangentially into the tank 1. Now, when the crank 5 is turned and the pump 17 operated, the air ;is withdrawn from' :the tank and the partial Vacuum thus produced is filled by the inrush through the month 10, pipe 9, transparent or visual chamber 13, tube 16 into the tank. Whatever dust or dirt is caught by such inrushing airis brought along with it into'the tank, making itself visible during its passa e throu h the Visual chamber, and so revealing the act as to whether the machine is or is not cleaning This forms an index as to the amount of time that should be spent upon any particular section of the floor',`inasmuch as when the carpet or rug is very dirty at ,any spot, it will be evident that the machine must be kept at work at such spot longer than elsewhere on account of the 'delay before the visual chamber grows clear.

The fatal defect in many machines of this Character has been that the fine dust could not be made to stay within the tank, but would escape into the room where the machine was being operated. To provide means for absolutely preventing such escape, I form the tank with an annular partition 20 depending from the topfthereof for substantially half the height of the tank. This gives an annular chamber 21 into which the dirt `is tangntially directed by the tube 16, and by the s iral current thus given to the dust-laden air, 'causes the dust to settle gradually to the tank-bottom, and also keeps the deposited dust from being disturbed by any suddenly down-rushing blast.

VVithin the partition 20 are several horizontal foraminous shelves 22, represented in Fig. 1 as composed of perforated Sheetmetal, and in Figs. 2 and 3 as of netting;

and between these shelves are placed bags 23 filled With loose fibrous material 24, such as cotton waste and the like. This loose fibrous material effectually prevents the passage of dust from the tank 1 to the suction pump 17 whose connection is With the space above the upper shelf 22; While the bags keep each `quantity of fibrous material from intermixing with the others When they are removed for cleansing. To enable said partitions and bags to be readily removed, I have the partitions separable from the annular=partition 20, and suspended from the cover 4, so that When said cover is taken off, said shelves Willcome up with it and leave no obstruction peripheral-ly to -the-removaland replacement of said bags. My preferred means for thus suspending said shelves consists of' the terminally threaded rod 25 penetrating said top and shelves, and inclosed by the. Sections of tubing 26. Suitable nuts at the ends of said rod clamp all these parts solidly together: Instead of having said rod terminate immediately below the lower shelf, it is extended to midway between the latter and the tank-bottom 2, and disposed for supporting the conical deflector 27 the function of which is to still further minimize the Vpossibility of the disturbance of the deposited dust by the inflowing air. The conical upper surface of the deflector is so shaped to better subserve the same purpose, andl at the same time make it easier for the dirt deposited thereon to be dislodged by the movements of the machine, and to be caused thereby to settle to the tank-bottom.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cleanermouth 10 is located at the extremity of a long horizontal section of pipe 9, and is so arranged as to permit such mouth to be freely passed beneath chairs, and other objects of the kind, desks, book-cases, tables, beds, couches and the like. The' length of -such hprizontal section is ordinarily made sufiicient for the Cleaner-month to .reach entirely beneath anA ordinary chair. By removing the Vertical section of pipe 9a, a hose 29 can be connected With the machine, and the 'same used for 'cleaning walls, draperies and garments. To enable the nap in a carpet or rug to be depressed by the machine for the better and more 'com lete access of the inflowing air to the dust .within such nap, I provide the small rod or Wire 30 which lies longitudinally within the mouth 10, but has its extremities bent up at right angles through suitable eyes thereat; set scre'ws: 31 engaging said lip-turned ends and securing them rigidly in place. For carpets or rugs with extra heavy pile, these set screws are unloosened and the Wire 01' rod 30 adjusted to a slightly lower position relative to said mouth, and then the screws set up again. For carpets With short nap, said Wire or rod is fixed more nearly fiush With the mouth. Said rod| having been adjusted to accommodate the floor covering with which it is to be used, the cleaner is moved back and forth repeatedly, with comparatively short strokes, until all the dust and dirt have been removed from each spot; said rod flexing the nap back and forth while the air-suction removes the dust therefrom.

VVhat I claim as my invention and for'` which I desire Letters Patent, is as follows, to Wit 1. A dust collector, comprising an intake, a cylindrical tank connected near its top with said intake, an annular partition depending from the top of said'tank, a plurality of foraminous shelves located in said partition, fibrous material packed between said shelves, a conical defiector located intermediately of said partition and the bottom of the tank, and means for producing a current of air through said intake into said tank and from the latter through its top.

2. A dust collector, comprising au intake, a cylindrical tank connected near its top with said intake, an annular partition depending from the top of said tank, a lurality of foraminous shelves located within said partition but not attached thereto, means supporting said shelves from the said top, and bags of fibrous material packed between said shelves, and means for producing .a current of air through said intake into said tank and from the latter through the said top.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a tank havin its air inlet through its side wall, and its an' outlet through the top, of an inclosin partition depending from` the top-edge 0% said tank, a. removable top for the tank, a rod depending from said top, a plurality of foraminous shelves penetrated by said rod, and Sections of tubing surrounding said rod and separating said shelves.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention, have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of March, 1908.

IRA L. GREEN.

Wi tnesses H. T. BROWN, F. L. SMITH. 

